


Cross the Driveway, Open the Door

by ImaginationCubed



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Dates, Fluff, Jaith Anniversary Week 2019, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 16:43:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20195437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaginationCubed/pseuds/ImaginationCubed
Summary: Everyone had worries when it came to picking up your crush for your first date, and James was no different.





	Cross the Driveway, Open the Door

**Author's Note:**

> So, I realized that despite the fact that I run a discord server for James and Keith, put together a zine for them, and they're half of what I draw, that I've never actually finished anything I've written for them. So, I figured I may as well write something for Jaith Anniversary Week. This one is for the First Date prompt.

Rolling up next to Keith’s mailbox was probably the most terrifying thing James managed to do all day. No, scratch that, all week. In fact, asking Keith out on the initial date only seemed slightly harder than actually gathering the courage to walk up his driveway when he thought about it.

He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, eyes sweeping the lively neighborhood. A few people were out and about, some tending to their properties, others enjoying their time outside, including a few he instantly recognized. Namely Shiro, Matt, and Pidge, the three bouncing around a basketball while they attempted to make shots into the hoop at the end of the driveway that he assumed belonged the Holts.

Of course it would be his luck that not only was Keith’s mother going to be home, but three of his closest friends were standing outside in plain view. James really had zero semblance of privacy for this one, didn’t he?

Well, sure, he  _ could _ just text Keith and ask him to come outside himself. But, he could’ve also texted Keith to ask him out as well, though something about the idea of that seemed wrong, insincere, as if he was hiding behind some sort of wall and refusing to lay his true feelings out on the table when pursuing the man of his affections. So, while he could ask Keith to exit his house on his own, there was some moral obligation he felt he needed to fulfill by actually ringing the doorbell. 

He flipped down the visor and glanced into the mirror. Running his fingers through his hair, he combed a few strands out of the way of his eyes and fixed his collar. What if Keith got his style choices from his mom? What if going up to his house in a collared shirt and pressed jeans was the exact opposite way of making her like him? He should go back and change, he had a million wardrobe options that didn’t make him look like he was walking into an office building—No. Then he’d just be late. Personal style choices weren’t enough for Keith’s parents to disapprove of their blooming relationship, but showing up late definitely had a chance of hindering that.

The clock rolled over to the next hour. His time was up. His only choice was to go in and face Keith’s family before he buried himself in an even deeper hole. Keith was waiting for him.

He pulled the keys out of the ignition and stepped out onto the street, pressing the lock button on the key fob as he closed the distance between himself and the door to Keith’s house. This was it. The next few hours would be solely dedicated to him and Keith, no one else.

He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, releasing the tension from his body. With his feet planted on the doorstep, he pressed his finger into the doorbell. The disruptive sound of a dog barking entered his senses as he tapped his foot impatiently, seconds feeling like minutes and minutes feeling like hours. He quickly glanced at his phone, skimming a few encouraging messages from his friends before tapping the do not disturb option and slipping it back into his pocket. 

Maybe Keith’s mom wouldn’t even open the door, Keith also had the ability to open it after all. The two of them could speed off without James ever having to interact with Keith’s mother. But, would that make him look suspicious? What if Keith’s mom thought he was hiding something, or that he was taking Keith out to do some less than innocent things? The only way to assure that she knew he had his best intentions was to properly introduce himself, right?

The door swung open, revealing a tall woman clad in a white collared shirt, pressed black dress pants, and a matching tie. She flashed him a welcoming smile and stuck out her hand. “You must be James.”

Did Keith mention him to his mother? Did Keith  _ talk _ about him with his mother? What did Keith say about him? Did she have an opinion on him already? Would he have to change it?

He worked a smile onto his face and firmly shook her hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Mrs—”

She cut him off, “You can call me Krolia.”

“Krolia.” He corrected himself, though it did add an odd bit of discomfort to refer to an adult with so much familiarity, “I’m here to pick up Keith.”

“He’ll be down soon, but I’ll let him know you’re here. Come in.” She stepped aside and shut the door behind him. “Are you okay with big dogs?”

“Hm? Yeah, why?”

“Because the moment Keith opens his door—”

“Kosmo! No!” Keith’s scolding voice echoed throughout the house as the sound of thundering steps disturbed the peace.

There wasn’t time to prepare before a set of paws were firmly planted on James’s stomach. 

Keith came stumbling down the stairs, one arm in his jacket and the other desperately attempting to find the sleeve behind him. “Fuck. I’m sorry. He’s friendly, I promise.”

“Keith, language.” Krolia reprimanded.

Keith huffed and rolled his eyes as he hooked his fingers under Kosmo’s collar, guiding him back to the ground. “Kosmo, sit.”

Well, at least it seemed like James wasn’t the only one struggling with picking out an outfit for the night. Keith’s disheveled hair and leather jacket hanging off half his body only served as evidence.

“Did you close your door all the way?” Krolia asked with a hint of parental I-told-you-so.

“I did! I told you, he knows how to use the handle.” Keith defended.

James stepped closer and held out the other side of Keith’s jacket until the other man slipped his free arm into the sleeve. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.” He reached out an arm and scratched behind Kosmo’s ear. “How old is he?”

“Year and a half.” Keith answered with a smile. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around Kosmo’s neck, uncaring about the numerous strands of dog hair attaching themselves to his outfit, and pressed a small kiss to the side of his muzzle. “Still has a bit of puppy energy left in him.”

If he could like Keith any more than he already did, watching Keith be so tender with his furry companion and embodying the idea of having a dog as your best friend would definitely do it.

“Ready to go?” He asked.

Keith nodded, rising to his feet and running his fingers through his hair.

Krolia pulled Keith close to her and pressed a short kiss to his head. “Be safe. Both of you.”

Keith replied silently, with a prompt roll of his eyes.

“I’ll have Keith home before curfew.” James promised.

“It’s not you I’m worried about.” She replied with a pointed, but loving, look at Keith.

Keith huffed, “I’ll be good, mom.” 

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Keith sighed.

Did his date’s mom just admit she was more worried about  _ her own son’s _ behavior than his date’s? 

Well, this  _ was _ Keith they were talking about. The same Keith that just spent his last week after school in detention. But, still, either way, James was pretty sure this was the only case he could ever think of where he picked someone up for a date and their parents were more concerned about his date’s actions than his. It was…odd, even if it wasn’t exactly too surprising once he thought about it.

“Good. Have fun and be safe.”

“We will, Krolia.” James assured, opening the door for Keith and closing it behind the both of them once Keith waved back at his mother.

“You’re a dork.” Keith said in their newfound pseudo privacy.

“What?”

“You’ll have me home before curfew? What decade are you in?” Keith clarified with a small laugh to his tone.

James lead them down the driveway. “How else am I supposed to make your mom think I’m a good guy?”

“You don’t have to. She already thinks you’re great.”

“So, you’ve talked about me with her?”

“Yeah.”

James unlocked the car and pulled open the driver side door. “And?”

“She told me you sound like a nice boy and not to scare you.” Keith slid into the passenger seat, shutting the door behind him.

He turned the keys in the ignition. “Scare me?” 

“Yeah, because if there’s a next time I’m picking you up on my motorcycle.”

“I’m up for a challenge.”

“Good. Because I race. Illegally.”

Well, fuck. He’d cross that bridge when he’d get to it.


End file.
